Delicious benefits of eating honey

Explore the nutritious and medicinal benefits of eating honey.

Have you ever thought about the many benefits of eating honey? Honey is not merely a bottle of sweet sugary substance. It's one of the world's most perfect foods. Regarded as one of the "superfoods" the benefits of honey are many. It is not only naturally antiseptic, but it is full of nutrients, enzymes and antioxidants that are highly beneficial to the human body. In addition, it adds a lovely sweet flavor to other foods, and it can be enjoyed on its own. Honey is truly a miracle food that should be in every pantry.

Some benefits of honey

What this superfood can do for you

Honey is often referred to as Nectar Of The Gods. It has been used for century for is healing and restorative properties. The Egyptians were known to have used honey as far back as 5,000 years.

Pure honey - raw and unprocessed honey is a much healthier choice of sweetener than refined, white sugar and corn syrup. It is simply loaded with beneficial nutrients: vitamins, minerals, enzymes and precious antioxidants.

Types of honey

Understanding honey labels

All honey is not created equal!

It's important to know just what type of honey you are buying, so read the label carefully:

Pure honey can be misleading; the product may contain real honey - plus a host of other ingredients.

Raw honey is unpasteurized honey, that is, honey that is unprocessed.

Organic honey is used the same way "organic produce" tends to be: it is created without the use of pesticides or chemicals.

Local honey is honey produced locally to that region. While traveling, it's great to sample local honey!

Heal yourself with all-natural honey

How do you like your honey?

Comb honey

Comb honey is honey that is ready for eating, but still in a very natural state. It consists of pure honey and edible beeswax, as made by the bees! Comb honey does have bits of the beeswax cells of the honeycomb in it. Some people do not like the taste and texture of comb honey while others adore it.

Comb honey was the way honey used to be -- before the honey extractor was invented. Comb honey is very popular today among people who prefer more natural foods and honey hobbyists. As a product, comb honey is a lot more expensive to purchase.

Creamed honey

Cream honey is a blend of liquid honey and granulated honey. This form of honey is known by many name including; honey fondant, whipped honey, churned honey, candied honey and spun honey. In the United Kingdom, creamed honey is known as set honey.

Creamed honey is semi-solid, which makes it easy to measure out for baking purposes.

Liquid honey

Liquid honey is the most commonly-seen of honey. It is the product that you will find on store shelves and comes in bottle or jars. It is used as a spread, flavor enhancer and as a sweetener.

Liquid honey is semi-pourable, depending on the air temperature. . You will frequently see liquid honey in the squeezy "honey bear" bottle.

Forms of honey

Raw honey

Raw honey is honey that has not been heat treated, pasteurized or processed in any way. It is honey as it comes straight from the honey extractor. Processing honey destroys out many of the important phytonutrients and enzymes, so raw honey is very healthy form of honey to consume.

Organic honey

For honey to be certified as being an organic product, there are very strict guidelines that must be met. These cover where the nectar is gathered by the bees, how the bees are managed, the honey extracting process, transportation, the processing temperature and also what packaging is used.

Certified organic honey must also be tested to guarantee that it doesn't contain any residues of pollutants, chemical residues and pesticides.

Honey flavours

Delicious honey flavours

Honey is flavored by the type of pollen gathered to make it. Each honey has its own unique flavor specific to that hive and that region.

Clover is one of the most common types of honey and has a light floral taste.

Thyme honey is used in Greek cooking. Its flavour is earthy and blends well with Greek-style yoghurt.

Macadamia honey is of course from the pollen of macadamia trees. Its slight nutty flavour is great for cooking.

Manuka honey is specific to New Zealand coast, and contains tea tree pollen. It is considered especially beneficial for medical issues.

Do you eat honey regularly?

Comments

Heather honey is delicious, and the mead made from it is considered a delicacy. Bees love lavender, and one of their favourites in my garden is borage, and I see them feeding on its blue flowers, so I leave borage plants growing as long as possible to help feed the bees.